The Victor A. Prather Award was established to honor this Naval flight surgeon who contributed so much to the understanding of the effects of high altitude environment on humans. He was best known for his high altitude balloon flights and it was in one of these flights that he lost his life. On May 5, 1961, the day of Alan Shepard’s first flight, Prather established a new high altitude balloon record of 21 miles with Malcolm Ross. During their recovery operation off the Carrier Antietam in the Atlantic Ocean, Prather fell into the sea from the helicopter platform and was drowned.

In recognition of Victor Prather’s efforts to promote understanding of high altitude environment on humans, this award honored researchers, engineers and flight crew members in the field of extravehicular protection or activity in space.